League of Nations

[mdaclarke]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/...f/news-story/f951450b8d6200843a9c7a81aed90d49

Japan and Fiji to be sacrificed to get this over the line. To be honest I can see this getting over the line, but I can't see it ever expanding to include Fiji and Japan.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

So it's just a winner of the 6n v winner of the RC now?...

 

[mdaclarke]

This part is very revealing

The 6 nations will never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever agree to relegation. It's just not going to happen.

"The main obstacle to getting the tournament across the line remains the vexed issue of promotion/relegation.

Italy, Scotland and Ireland have been firmly against the concept of relegation because it doesn't secure their Six Nations involvement. And with the competition to run every second year, so as to not interfere with the World Cup and British and Lions tour, relegation would see a nation be on the outer for at least two years.

France and England are less adverse to the concept, but even the Rugby Football Union said it would be "catastrophic" if they were relegated.

"For us it could be catastrophic being relegated, commercially," RFU acting chief executive Nigel Melville said in March.

"To be relegated, the catastrophe isn't just the team being relegated, it's our ability to fund the game as a governing body in England.

"Can we fund the community game in England to the level we do now if we don't have the revenues we have? And on the point of promotion and relegation, there's no promotion and relegation in a Lions year and there's no tournament in a World Cup year.

"So when you're relegated, you're relegated for two years, not one. It's not quite up and down, one season on the naughty step and go back up, it's actually two years and that could be a disaster for people."

 

[Derpus]

With Rupert set to pull his money out of all sports, and Rugby in (amazingly) even worse shape than last year the writing is on the wall.

Time to start watching Loige boyos. At least Para stadium is ace.

 

[mdaclarke]

With Rupert set to pull his money out of all sports, and Rugby in (amazingly) even worse shape than last year the writing is on the wall.

Time to start watching Loige boyos. At least Para stadium is ace.

I guess SANZAAR are willing to toss Japan and Fiji aside to keep the 6N on side. Even more important if NZ and Aus are losing Rupert's money.

 

[mania]

why does Italy get to stay?

 

[higgik]

Still think that a 4yr Euro Champs, leading to a 4 yr Nations League is a solution.
6N stays but moves to August, September to end October for all other internationals.

Yr 1 Euro Champs - 10 nations in 2 groups plus semi finals and finals.
For nations League Top 2 into Div 1, 3/4 into Div 2, etc
Asia/Oceania - 5 nations with final, winner into div 1, ru into div 2 etc.
Repeat for Africa and America.

Yr2 Lions

Yr 3 Nations League - 2x European, 1x rest (5 teams) play home or away over 5 weeks.

Yr 4 RWC

This format gives opportunity for tier 2 to play tier 1 every year, without disrupting 6N and RC.

 

[mdaclarke]

I personally like the idea of a closed shop 10 team tournament. I know most people will disagree with me but I think Rugby would be best served by concentrating on keeping the tier 1 teams strong.

 

[mania]

I personally like the idea of a closed shop 10 team tournament. I know most people will disagree with me but I think Rugby would be best served by concentrating on keeping the tier 1 teams strong.

u mean keep the tier one teams rich and out of reach?

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

I personally like the idea of a closed shop 10 team tournament.

Mind if i ask why?

 

[FrenchFan]

I personally like the idea of a closed shop 10 team tournament. I know most people will disagree with me but I think Rugby would be best served by concentrating on keeping the tier 1 teams strong.

But isn't it what they're already doing? And it doesn't work. Tier 1 nations like Aus, SA and Fra have been sliding for a while. They're no longer the forces they used to be. Italy are in 6N but not tier 1. Fra are not much better. Looks to me that closed shop mentality is part of the problem for international rugby.

 

[stus768]

The Times reported the six nations teams are proposing sharing autumn international profits with away teams.

 

[mdaclarke]

But isn't it what they're already doing? And it doesn't work. Tier 1 nations like Aus, SA and Fra have been sliding for a while. They're no longer the forces they used to be. Italy are in 6N but not tier 1. Fra are not much better. Looks to me that closed shop mentality is part of the problem for international rugby.

This will be a competition with a more even share of the money. Don't agree that SA are on the slide. They are my 2nd favourites for the world cup after NZ

 

[mania]

This will be a competition with a more even share of the money. Don't agree that SA are on the slide. They are my 2nd favourites for the world cup after NZ

agree about SA's slide. only a fool would take them lightly.
even money share amongst the tier1 nations (+ italy) . thats pretty typical

 

[bushytop]

So the 'new' deadline for supporting the Nations Cup is Friday... until the next one.

 

[mdaclarke]

So the 'new' deadline for supporting the Nations Cup is Friday... until the next one.

The 6N will never agree to relegation. Until this is taken off the table there will be no agreement.

 

[bushytop]

The 6N will never agree to relegation. Until this is taken off the table there will be no agreement.

Yep, shame as I do think there should be a route to the top table for all nations.

 

[mdaclarke]

Yep, shame as I do think there should be a route to the top table for all nations.

The Question is will World Rugby sell the Tier 2 nations down the river?

 

[bushytop]

The Question is will World Rugby sell the Tier 2 nations down the river?

Hopefully not... but probably. World Rugby has made great strides over the last 10 years with the Tier 2 Nations (particularly Fiji, Georgia and Japan) it would be a shame if all that hard work was sold down the river. Still money and an insurance that you will never be relegated from the top table would be hard to refuse... for any union.

Thing is, even if there was relegation... it would be via a play off. So even if England, Wales, Ireland etc did finish with the spoon... they would STILL get a home match against whomever (currently Georgia) to stay up.

 

[Scotty]

Im not really in the pro relegation camp but how many times have the home nations came last in the last 20 years?